Merger,Acquisition,and International Strageties Assignment

Merger,Acquisition,and International Strageties - Assignment Example It has been clarified that the merger of the two companies was enhanced by the fact that AMR corporation had previously encountered numerous loses. Therefore, it was within the best interest to file a case to declare the status of bankruptcy. Therefore, the engagement into a merger concept was seen as one of the best ways that would restore the organizational, financial status back to normalcy. Initially, American airways were recognized as one of the lucrative companies in the airline industry with up to 3100 flights departing from the United States and other different parts of the world on a daily basis. An airline company with integrated customer’s carriers employed over 32,000 aviation personnel. Having played an active role in human rights network, the organization was rewarded 100 percent by the human right corporation because of the quality index and campaign for the transgender employees. By the beginning of 2012, the airline corporation started feeling the effect of financial turbulence. As such, it was declared bankrupt by the united stain the department of justice to forge ahead for the merger by the United States airways and form American Airline Inc (Bryer & Simensky, 2002). It was considered a vital step towards reviving the organizational level of competitiveness. Therefore, AMR Corporation applied to Dallas/Fort worth court and requested for bankrupt cy approval permitting merger to a United States airways group. At first the application was not very successful, but after court judge Sean Lane intervened the procedure was allowed to continue. Although the two American airline companies were given go ahead to form a merger, coming up with a single certificate took some time while the newly formed organization had already started enjoying numerous benefits. For instance, the merger was perceived to as a wise decision because it has created an open way

Food Hygiene & Sanitation Essay Example for Free

Food Hygiene Sanitation Essay Only without oxygen at an ideal temperature 43? C c. Only with oxygen at an ideal temperature of 43? C d. Only without oxygen at an ideal temperature of 39? C 7. Which of the following groups of hazards are most likely to cause a foodborne disease outbreak? a. Bacteria and viruses b. Parasites and molds c. Vibrio spp. and Shigella spp. d. Chemical and physical hazards 8. Bacteria grow best within a narrow temperature range called the temperature danger zone. The temperature danger zone is between: a. -18? C and 104? C b. -8? C and 65? C c. 5? C and 60? C d. 5? C and 100? C . Bacteria that cause foodborne illness will only grow on foods that have pH at _____ or above and a water activity (AW) above____. a. 3. 2; 0. 85 b. 4. 6; 0. 85 c. 6. 5; 0. 80 d. 8. 0; 0. 75 10. Which of the following bacteria produce a toxin that is more likely to cause death if consumed? a. Campylobacter jejuni b. Clostridium botulinum c. Shiga-toxin producing Escheria coli d. Listeria monocytogenes 11. Some bacteria form spores to help them: a. Reproduce b. Move easily from one location to another c. Survive adverse environmental conditions d. Grow in high acidic foods 12. Which of the following is a histamine poisoning? a. Ciguatoxin b. Scombrotoxin c. Mycotoxin d. Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) 13. Which of the following is not considered a potentially hazardous food group? a. Red meats b. Fish and shellfish c. Poultry and eggs d. Dried grains and spices 14. The most effective way to control the growth of bacteria in a food establishment is by controlling: a. Time and temperature b. pH and oxygen conditions c. Temperature and water activity d. Time and food availability 15. Food borne illness can caused by: a. Poor personal hygiene b. Cross contamination c. Temperature abuse d. All the above 16. Regarding food thermometers, which statement is false? a. Be calibrated b. Measure temperatures between 5? C and 57? C c. Measure temperatures between -18? C and 104? C d. Be approved for use in foods 17. Good personal hygiene includes a. Using hand sanitizers instead of washing hand b. Keeping hands and clothes clean and sanitary c. Wearing attractive uniforms d. Cleaning and sanitizing food-contact surfaces 18. Cross contamination is a term used to describe the transfer of a foodborne hazard from 1 food to another: a. By a food worker’s hand b. From a cutting board c. From a knife blade d. All of the above 19. After proper cooking, all foods that are to be held hot must be held at: a. 74? C or above b. 57? C or above c. Room temperature until served d. 49? C or above 20. Food workers should wash their hands after which of the following? a. Taking out the trash b. Touching their faces c. Handling raw food d. All of the above Section B (10 marks) Answer either True/ False. 1. The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System is only used to monitor food processing in manufacturing plants. () 2. Certification of food protection managers and workers refers to screening done for health problems. () 3. The term food establishment includes any site where food is processed, prepared, sold or served. () 4. Bacteria and viruses cause most foodborne illness. () 5. One of the potentially hazardous food is cut melons. () 6. There are two types of bacteria that are spore forming and non-spore forming. () 7. Clostridium botulinum cannot cause death. () 8. E. Coli can be found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. () 9. Prevention of cross contamination can be done by keeping raw food and ready-to-eat food together during storage. ) 10. Bacteria take 25 minutes to multiply. () Section C (20 marks) Briefly explain on each answer. 1.

The Scarlet Letter Essay example -- Literary Analysis, Hawthorne

The trouble that one letter can cause to so many people can be described as nothing short of incredible. The power of the scarlet letter can change a life, a community, and be a harder punishment than people will ever understand. In the novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne gives the scarlet letter three significant meanings that are revealed through different scenes within the novel. The Scarlet letter was pushed upon Hester Prynne by a theocratic society, for a sin that she had committed with a man whose name she would not reveal. The theocratic society placed Hester inside a jail with iron clamped doors. The jail was rusted, had iron spikes, and was decaying. The only sign of life this jail had was a wild red rose bush growing outside the door. When the prison door opened, she stood fully reveled to the town people and pulled the child closely to her chest and began to walk out. The narrator gives in detail the vision the people of Boston saw as they looked at Hester, â€Å"On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter â€Å"A.† It was so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous luxuriance of fancy, that it had the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the apparel which she wore† (51). The scarlet letter made Hester one of her own kind and separated her from the entire town. She was looked at as a sinner, being judged every time she walked into town, and was an example of sin. The scarlet letter made her different and the narrator explains, â€Å"It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself† (52). Hester was now due for the punish... ...for her committing Adultery. After this letter is placed upon her bosom she stands upon the scaffold in front of the theocratic society holding a infant in her arms and bearing the letter on her chest. The letter also means the same thing for Dimmesdale but his pain is placed within and leaves a burn upon his chest. Dimmesdale then sees a letter â€Å"A† in the night time sky created by clouds. As a meteor lights up the sky, the letter becomes inflamed with a bright red color. That same â€Å"A† is noticed by the towns’ people in memory of the governor and they believe it means â€Å"Angel†. However, as years pass and Hester begins to be a great influence in the city of Boston, the â€Å"A† stands for â€Å"Able† showing the strength that Hester endures. As one reads this novel, one can choose which meaning is the most significant and most symbolic, as Hester lives a life of ignominy.

Extracurricular Activities

Contents 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 2. Literature Review†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 3. Survey Findings†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 4. Analysis of Data†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦15 5. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 17 6. References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 18 Effect of Extracurricular Activities on Academic Performance at NSU Introduction Music, volunteer work, community service, sports, debating, etc—all of these have an influence on how university students perform academically.The way students choose to spend their free time can affect their academic performance; it is not simply traditional in-class instruction that impacts academic achievement. â€Å"A study by the U. S. Department of Education revealed that students who participate in co-curricular activities are three times more likely to have a grade point average of 3. 0 or better† than students who do not participate in co-curricular activities (Stephens & Schaben, 2002, para. ). In addition to co-curricular or extracurricular activities, â€Å"analyses revealed that regardless of students’ background and prior achievement, various parenting, volunteering, and home learning activities positively influenced student grades† (Simon, 2001, para. 1). Numerous studies have examined the factors influencing students’ academic achievement, and many activities were found to have a significant influence.According to BUGS (Bringing Up Girls in Science), a program for young girls and their parents at the University of North Texas, â€Å"the home environment is among the most important influences on academic performance† (Bringing Up Girls in Science, 2003, para. 2). A correlation appears to exist between the activities that students choose outside of the classroom and their academic performance. One of the main controversies is the effect that television viewing of students has on their academic achievement. â€Å"The relationship between cognitive development and television viewing has been the one most widely studied.Investigators disagree about the effects of this relationship† (Shin, 2004, para. 2). The amount and quality of television viewing and family involvement are not the only influences of academic performance. The effects of music and sports are also controversial in their relation to academic performance. University Deans are interested in the relationship between academic achievement and participation in interscholastic sports at university level these days implying that sports do have some sort of influence on how students perform academically.All of these activities appear to have some sort of effect on students’ academic performance; however, the issue of whether they benefit or hinder is unknown. The research would be described as a descriptive study because it observes behaviors â€Å"as they occur naturally, describes behav ior, explores a phenomenon, and tests hypotheses about behavior† (Brown, Cozby, Kee, & Worden, 1999, p. 75). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine whether or not the club activities that students of North South University (where I study currently) take part in have an effect on their academic performance.I believe that extracurricular activities (club activities) have a positive effect on a student’s academic performance at NSU. | | | | Literature Review The History of Extracurricular Activities The development of extracurricular activities was slow in the beginning, with many seeing it simply as a fad that would pass and quickly fade out of style (Millard, 1930, p. 11). One of the early philosophies behind extracurricular activities was that they should, wherever at all possible, â€Å"grow out of curricular activities and return to curricular activities to enrich them† (Millard, 1930, p. 2). Eventually people, including educators, began to see th e benefits of extracurricular activities, but it took a while to inure themselves to them. In fact, before 1900, educators were skeptical of participation in extracurricular activities, believing that â€Å"school should focus solely on narrowly defined academic outcomes. Non-academic activities were viewed as being primarily recreational and therefore were detrimental to academic achievement, and consequently were discouraged† (Marsh & Kleitman, 2002, para. 5).Deam and Bear, early experts on extracurricular activities, said, â€Å"Extracurricular activities supplement and extend those contacts and experiences found in the more formal part of the program of the school day† (Millard, 1930, p. 16). It was not until recently that â€Å"educational practitioners and researchers have taken a more positive perspective, arguing that extracurricular activities may have positive effects on life skills and may also benefit academic accomplishments† (Marsh & Kleitman, 2002 , para. 5). It is obvious that extracurricular activities have an impact on academic performance and education ever since their inception.The question is, how are extracurricular activities affecting academic performance today? Extracurricular Activities and Academic Performance Numerous studies have been conducted concerning the relationship between extracurricular activities and academic performance. Total extracurricular activity participation (TEAP), or participation in extracurricular activities in general, is associated with an improved grade point average, higher educational aspirations, increased college attendance, and reduced absenteeism† (Broh, 2002, para. 8).Guest and Schneider (2003), in looking at the previous research on this subject said, â€Å"Researchers have found positive associations between extracurricular participation and academic achievement† (para. 2). Although researchers agree that extracurricular activities do, in fact, influence academic pe rformance, the specific effect that various activities produce is debated. One study, conducted by the National Educational Longitudinal Study, found that â€Å"participation in some activities improves achievement, while participation in others diminishes achievement† (Broh, 2002, para. ). Many extracurricular activities have proven to be beneficial in building and strengthening academic achievement, even if the activities are not obviously related to academic subjects (Marsh & Kleitman, 2002, para. 9). â€Å"A number of studies revealed that students participating in extracurricular activities did better academically than students who did not participate† (Marsh & Kleitman, 2002, para. 7). Researchers have particularly studied the relationship between extracurricular activities and academic performance in adolescents.One study found that â€Å"adolescents who participated in extracurricular activities reported higher grades, more positive attitudes toward school, an d higher academic aspirations† (Darling, Caldwell, & Smith, 2005, para. 1). Darling, Caldwell, and Smith (2005) conducted a longitudinal study concerning extracurricular activities and their effect on various aspects of development, including academic performance. A survey containing a list of twenty different extracurricular activities was distributed to students; they were asked to check which extracurricular activities they participated in that year.Demographic questions, such as their favorite activity, gender, and ethnicity were asked in order to take the social factors and influences into account when calculating the results. The students were also asked what their academic goals were and their grade point average. The results showed that the students who participated in school-based extracurricular activities had higher grades, higher academic aspirations, and better academic attitudes than those who were not involved in extracurricular activities at all (Para. 3-35). S ocial Influences of Extracurricular Activities and Academic Performance Numerous studies indicate that extracurricular activities do, in fact, promote academic performance in students. However, are the extracurricular activities themselves, regardless of outside or social influences, responsible for this impact on academic performance? Guest and Schneider (2003) conducted research on what influence various social factors had on the relationship between extracurricular activities and academic performance.They found that most of the studies previously conducted on the relationship between these two factors had not taken into account the meaning that participation in extracurricular activities â€Å"[held] for individual participants within distinct social contexts† (Para. 3). They believed that every school and community assigned certain values to the various activities, putting more importance on some over others. The value that is placed on each activity affects the relations hip between that specific activity and academic performance (Guest & Schneider, 2003, para. ). Guest and Schneider (2003) concluded that there are three factors which influence this relationship. These factors are the â€Å"what,† the â€Å"where,† and the â€Å"when† (Para. 7). The â€Å"what† suggests that â€Å"the type of participation or activity undertaken influences developmental outcomes† (Guest & Schneider, 2003, para. 8). The â€Å"where† suggests â€Å"that the school and community context in which extracurricular activity takes place matters† (Guest & Schneider, 2003, para. 9).Finally, the â€Å"when† suggests â€Å"that the developmental and historical context in which extracurricular participation takes place influences both how it is valued and its effects on subsequent development† (Guest & Schneider, 2003, para. 10). All three of these factors work together to influence the relationship between participa tion in extracurricular activities and academic performance, because each one places a different value both on activities and academics. Formal Versus Informal Extracurricular Activities Some researchers have divided extracurricular activities into informal and formal activities.The formal activities include activities which are relatively structured, such as participating in athletics or learning to play a musical instrument. Informal activities, on the other hand, also known as leisure activities, include less structured activities, such as watching television. Some literature on leisure studies has â€Å"suggested that formal and informal activity settings have different influences on motivation and feelings of competence,† two factors which influence academic performance (Guest & Schneider, 2003, para. 8).One study found â€Å"that more time in leisure activities was related to poorer academic grades, poorer work habits, and poorer emotional adjustments,† while mor e time in â€Å"structured groups and less time watching TV were associated with higher test scores and school grades† (Marsh & Kleitman, 2002, para. 15). Guest and Schneider (2003), in their study, found that â€Å"the type of participation or activity undertaken influences developmental outcomes (Para. 8). This involves the â€Å"what† factor and is the concern of this research project.There have been many studies conducted on the influence that extracurricular activities have on academic performance. Their effects have â€Å"differed substantially for different activities. There were a total of seventy-six statistically significant effects, fifty-eight positive and eighteen negative† (Marsh & Kleitman, 2002, para. 11). The Relationship Between Volunteer Work and Academic Performance A dearth of literature on the relationship between volunteering and academic achievement exists; nevertheless, it is becoming more popular in academic settings as a way of improv ing academics, as well as society.Many schools now require their students to complete a mandatory number of hours of volunteer work per year or semester. Schools have implemented â€Å"service learning,† which incorporates community service and volunteer work into the curriculum, because it has been proven to have a positive effect on academic performance (Hinck & Brandell, 1999). Service learning â€Å"can and does have a positive impact on the psychological, social, and intellectual development of adolescents who participate† (Hinck & Brandell, 1999, para. 11).Usually the services performed are related, in some way, to some academic subject, but most forms of volunteer work and community service can be tied to academics in one way or another. As a result, â€Å"more and more studies are finding that increased academic growth is the result when service is combined with intellectual content† (Hinck & Brandell, 1999, para. 17). One study, conducted on over 2,000 students enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade, found that student performance improved as a result of service learning (Hinck & Brandell, 1999, para. 17).The Texas Council of Chief State School Officers reported that â€Å"involvement in service learning affects students’ higher level thinking skills, motivation to learn, application of learning, insight, and basic academic skills† (Hinck & Brandell, 1999, para. 18). One study performed to determine the relationship between academic performance and community partnerships found that â€Å"regardless of students’ background and prior achievement, volunteering activities positively influenced student grades, course credits completed, attendance, behavior, and school preparedness† (Simon, 2001, para. 1).All of the literature concerning the relationship between academic performance and volunteering presented a positive relationship. (Citied in Fujita, 2005) Survey Findings Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Analysis of Data When asked whether their CGPA improves when they are actively involved with club activities and events, eighty percent members of North South University Social Services Club, sixty percent members of North South University Sports Club and eighty percent members of North South University Shangskritik Shanghatan responded with ‘no’.They also answered ‘negative’ when asked what kind of effect their chosen extracurricular activity has on their academic performance in the same percentages. This clearly shows that the majority of the members of these three clubs feel that they perform poor in their academics when they are involved with club works. The activities of the club, although it may provide satisfaction to the active members, it does not help them with their studies. The courses they take at NSU have no relation with the activities of the club.Therefore, they get ex hausted after doing the activities of the club and do not get time to concentrate on their studies. And also, since the activities of these three clubs have no relation with the courses offered at NSU, it does not help them with their academics in any way. However, a totally different picture can be seen when the responses of the active members of Young Economists’ Forum (YEF) and North South University English Club are analyzed. Here, it should be mentioned that all the members who filled up the questionnaires from these two clubs were from the Economics and English departments respectively.Although it is not mandatory for the members of YEF to be from the economics department and for the members of English club to be from the English department, my sample included all YEF members from the Economics department and all English Club members from the English department. So, this is one of the major reasons for eighty percent of YEF members and sixty percent of English Club memb ers to respond with ‘yes’ when asked whether their CGPA improves when they are actively involved with club activities.Respectively, they also answered ‘positive’ with the same percentage when asked what kind of influence their chosen ECA has on their academic performance. This shows that since the extracurricular activities chosen by the members of YEF and English Club from the selected sample are related to their field of study at NSU, they feel their CGPA improves and that the activities have a positive effect on their academic performance. Finally, when the CGPA of the total sample is analyzed, it can be seen that sixty percent of the total sample have a bad CGPA between 1. 05 and 3. 00.The rest forty percent have a very good CGPA between 3. 01 and 3. 97. The students with good CGPA belong to clubs which organize activities related to the student’s academics. This further strengthens the argument that students who are involved in club activities w hich complements their studies perform well in their studies than those students whose club activities are unrelated to their academics. Conclusion From the conducted survey, it can be concluded that my hypothesis is partially proved correct. Extracurricular activities in the form of club activities do have a positive effect on a student’s academic performance at NSU.However, the club activity must be related to the courses taken by the students or their field of study. It helps the students perform better in their academics and score better grades if the club activities they are involved in helps broaden the students’ knowledge about his chosen field of study at NSU. If students’ choose to become a member of a club whose activities have no relation with their academics, although they may become very skilled at those activities but this will hamper their study, and their academic performance will go down in the form of a low CGPA.All being said and done, student s should not base their decision of getting involved in club activities or participating in any other extracurricular activity from the findings of this study. This research is only a small attempt to find out the relationship between extracurricular activities and academic performance at NSU. Students should set their priorities themselves and choose their extracurricular activity accordingly or choose them according to their interests. They have the liberty to do so as they are mature adults.However, it would be wise if students chose their extracurricular activities carefully. At the end of the day, academic performance matters the most. NSU’s reputation depends on the quality of the students who study here. If NSU is filled with active ‘clubbers’ who are very good at their club activities but poor in studies then NSU’s reputation will go down in the eyes of all who see NSU as a place of quality higher education. References Bringing Up Girls in Science. (2003). Bugs—parents (University of North Texas). Retrieved February 26, 2005, from http://www. oe. unt. edu/bugs/parents. index. html Broh, B. A. (2002, January). Linking extracurricular programming to academic achievement: Who benefits and why? [Electronic version]. Sociology of Education, 75, 69-96. Brown, K. W. , Cozby, P. C. , Kee, D. W. , & Worden, P. E. (1999). Research methods in human development. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publications. Darling, N. , Caldwell, L. L. , & Smith, R. (2005). Participation in school-based extracurricular activities and adolescent adjustment [Electronic version].Journal of Leisure Research, 37, 51-77. Fujita, K. (2005). The Effects of Extracurricular Activities on the Academic Performance of Junior High Students [Electronic version]. Undergraduate Research Community. Available at http://kon. org/urc/v5/fujita. html Guest, A. , & Schneider, B. (2003, April). Adolescents’ extracurricular participation in context: The mediating effe cts of schools, communities, and identity [Electronic version]. Sociology of Education, 76, 89-105. Hinck, S. S. , & Brandell, M.E. (1999, October). Service learning: Facilitating academic learning and character development [Electronic version]. National Association of Secondary School Principals Bulletin, 83, 16-25. Marsh, H. W. , & Kleitman, S. (2002). Extracurricular activities: The good, the bad, and the nonlinear [Electronic version]. Harvard Educational Review, 72, 464-512. Millard, C. V. (1930). The organization and administration of extra curricular activities. New York: A. S. Barnes and Co. Shin, N. (2004, December).Exploring pathways from television viewing to academic achievement in school age children [Electronic version]. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 165, 367-382. Simon, B. S. (2001, October). Family involvement in high school: Predictors and effects [Electronic version]. National Association of Secondary School Principals Bulletin, 85, 8-20. Stephens, L. J. , & S chaben, L. A. (2002, March). The effect of interscholastic sports participation on academic achievement of middle level school activities [Electronic version]. National Association of Secondary School Principals Bulletin, 86, 34-42.

Fashion Icon: Twiggy Essay

The world is composed of billions of people with each individual having various characteristics and qualities. The uniqueness of every individual could be seen in their physical appearances, personalities, and the ways they interact with each other. Despite the fact that almost everyone in the world has his or her respective potentials to make it famous in the world, there are only some people who managed to reach that stage. These people have the exemplary skills and traits that make others look up to them. Their influence does not merely involve the admiration of people but rather they tend to represent a certain area of their chosen profession. The impact that they can establish could also go as far as symbolizing the popular culture at large. In this sense, those individuals who are considered to fall under these descriptions are regarded as icons. The fashion industry also has personalities who created a meaningful and substantial contribution to this particular field. One of the most notable fashion icons who greatly exemplify this idea is Twiggy. In line with these, it is the main objective of this paper to discuss the status of Twiggy as a fashion icon. In order to do so, four images of Twiggy will be used in order to analyze her iconic status in the fashion industry. The succeeding paragraphs will give a short biography of her life and how her experiences paved the way for her success. In relation to this, the unique skills and characteristics that make Twiggy reach her present status in the fashion world will be given due consideration. Moreover, the way by which the media represented Twiggy will also be elaborated on. Lastly, an analysis of the way Twiggy produce popular culture and the means popular culture simultaneously produces Twiggy will be conducted. Biography of Twiggy Lesley Hornby or more popularly known as â€Å"Twiggy† was born on 19 September 1949 in North London. She hailed as â€Å"The Face of ‘66† by the Daily Express. During the mid 60’s, when she was at the age of 16, Twiggy became internationally popular as the world’s first supermodel.   Ã‚  Her success in photographic modeling epitomizes that certain age (Lawson). Later on, Twiggy became a thriving and lucrative actress in film, stage, and television. Her career in the film industry took off when by starring in Ken Russell’s â€Å"The Boyfriend.† She was able to won two Golden Globe awards for the category of most promising newcomer and best actress in a musical. Twiggy also entered the music scene wherein she recorded many albums that include various genres like pop, rock, disco, country and show tunes. She was able to obtain two silver discs, two chart albums, and hit singles in the span of her music career. Moreover, Twiggy also excelled in starring with her own variety series for the BBC. She was critically acclaimed in her portrayal of Eliza Doolittle in the television series entitled â€Å"Pygmalion.† Afterwards, she was included in the Tony Award winning Gershwin musical â€Å"My One and Only.† Twiggy had an outstanding success for this production wherein she was nominated for a Tony Award (Lawson). Twiggy further pursue her acting skills by getting roles in film and television shows both in the United States and the United Kingdom. She was able to become a cast member of famous shows, some of these are: â€Å"The Doctor and the Devils†, â€Å"Club Paradise†, â€Å"The Blues Brothers†, â€Å"The Little Match Girl†, and â€Å"Young Charlie Chaplin.† In 1988, Twiggy experienced an important part of her life when got married with British Actor and Director Leigh Lawson who is her co-star in â€Å"Madame Sousatzka† (Lawson). During the 1990s, Twiggy was launched in the career of a television presenter and interviewer. She had her own ITV series entitled â€Å"Twiggy’s People.† This gave her the opportunity to interview famous people such as: Dustin Hoffman, Lauren Bacall, Tom Jones, Joan Rivers, Eric Idle, and Tim Curry. In the year 2001, Twiggy had her second television series with the name â€Å"Take Time With Twiggy†, which she interviewed famous personalities with the likes of Lulu, Ken Russell and Frederick Forsyth (Lawson). Twiggy also made known her interest in the entertainment production when she co-produced and starred in the highly praised â€Å"If Love Were All† in New York that was directed by her husband Leigh Lawson. She also ventured her way into writing when she created her autobiography entitled â€Å"Twiggy in Black and White† that was included in the bestseller list. Twiggy did not forget her passion for music because she released a new album the â€Å"Midnight Blues†, which received good review from the music press (Lawson). Twiggy indeed has a timeless beauty that goes beyond the decades. This is clearly observable in the fact that she continues to model for famous brands like Marks and Spencer wherein she has been a part of their 2005 phenomenal advertising campaign. She has also been featured on the cover of numerous magazines like â€Å"Vogue† and â€Å"Tatler† despite her age. Recently, Twiggy had also been part of the reality show â€Å"America’s Next Top Model† as a guest judge opposite another model and creator of the show, Tyra Banks (Lawson). Lastly, Twiggy has other advocacies and interests that she is very passionate about. She is an active supporter of animal welfare. She actively contributes and participates in various societies that advocate animal rights as she is a self-proclaimed anti fur campaigner. Another cause that she is an ardent supporter of is the breast cancer research groups. Twiggy’s interest in fashion goes a long way as she now has her own clothing line and range of bed linen (Lawson). Twiggy as a Fashion Icon The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines â€Å"fashion† as â€Å"the prevailing style during a particular time† and a â€Å"social standing or prominence especially as signalized by dress or conduct† (Merriam-Webster Online). The term â€Å"icon† is also defined by the same dictionary as â€Å"a usually pictorial representation† and â€Å"an object of uncritical devotion† (Merriam-Webster Online). In this sense, a fashion icon could refer to an individual that has established a certain trend during a particular period of time, which makes other people, idolized him or her. It must be noted that an icon is not merely an object because even individuals can represent a particular idea or concept through inanimate objects such as a picture. Being a fashion icon does not entail the mere admiration of people because they also have to make their trends popular and widely-accepted by the people. Moreover, a fashion icon’s influence is not only limited to the public but they also have their way of establishing their own inputs to the development of the fashion industry. Putting these meanings in mind, being a fashion icon is indeed applicable to Twiggy. Twiggy was able to influence the fashion of the 1960s. During this time, fashion editors were looking for a new face or something different that will emphasize a certain or pervasive image of girlishness. Twiggy was referred as the â€Å"elfin’ with her 5 ft. 6 ins. height, and measured ’31, 22, ’32 at the time of her frame. She was regarded as one of the members of the â€Å"youthquake† that revolutionized the previous perspective of fashion and modeling. Twiggy was recognized as the new fashion icon of the 60s because her look began challenging the reign of studio imperialism with regards to star fashion successes. This youth culture that has emerged, which includes Twiggy, has been a formidable fashion force that gives a new approach to the face of popular taste by means of emphasizing fine and performing arts. Twiggy also contributes to the greater complexity of the fashion world as a stick-thin teenage English model. Furthermore, Twiggy was among the fashion icons that were able to reach such status without the aid of Hollywood (Craats 24-25). Twiggy was recognized as the world’s first supermodel because of her unique style that epitomizes an era. She introduced a new style that veers away from the traditional looks of women that aided her in influencing the new images of female fashionability. Twiggy’s waif like figure, boyish hair cut and striking eye lashes created a new image the embodies the 1960s. Her uncanny fashion sense of appealing to be boyish with her thin figure and short hair but at the same time still looking girly with the clothes she wears resonated. She immediately became popular not only in the United Kingdom but also in America (Craats 24-25). She took New York by storm, which includes the admiration of the may people. Million of teenage girls from the sixties idolized her as she became one of the most famous faces on the planet. Twiggy’s picture was everywhere, in fashion magazines like Vogue, Tatler, and even at her own American publication â€Å"Her Mod, Mod Teen World†. The popularity of Twiggy even reached a point where her photograph was even encased in a time capsule and sent into space (Lawson). The physical appearance and fashion style of Twiggy symbolize the era of the 60s but more than that she also stands for the idea of innocence and youth. She was just a 17 years old teenager when she captured the attention of the fashion industry. She possesses a body of a skinny kid with the face of an angel that makes her look very naà ¯ve. Her look and fashion style are both similar and different. It is similar because of the fact that she fashioned colorful tops and skirts that clearly exemplifies the pop-culture of her time. On the other hand, it is different because of her boyish physical features and girly fashion sense that tends to contradict with each other. As a result, the irony of her physical appearance as a model and the fashion sense that she popularized only contributed more to her popularity that can even be compared for the clamor of the people for the British boy band â€Å"The Beatles† (Craats 24-25). The qualities and contribution that Twiggy made during her career in the fashion industry as well as in the other fields of artistry like music and acting made Twiggy stand out from the other popular figures during her time. She is considered as different from the others because she was able to symbolize an era, which other famous personalities cannot do. When people think or remember the 60s, Twiggy is always one of the people they identified with when it comes to the fashion scene. Her contributions were really substantive because she was able to aid in changing the perspective of the people during her time. She was able to further promote the â€Å"youthquake† that give the female fashion a different flair. More than that, Twiggy has this exceptional charisma to the public that make her instantly popular to millions of people. Her popularity does not merely stop in mere modeling but it also extended in other areas of artistry like designing, music, and acting. These only prove that Twiggy became part of the lives of the people because she very much accepted and recognized in all her areas of endeavor (Desser and Jowett 184-185). The Social Historical Context Twiggy rose to prominence during the 1960s decade. This period is often characterized by the inter-related cultural and political trends in the west especially in the United States of America and Britain. It is also known in popular culture as â€Å"The Sixties† to describe the counter-culture and social revolution that takes place at the end of the decade. In relation to this, the era is referred to as one of irresponsible excess and flamboyance. The decade is also regarded as the â€Å"Swinging Sixties† because of the liberalist attitude that people have during that time which gives importance to individual freedom (Craats 24-25). The fashion style that Twiggy popularized during the 1960s shows the very idea of liberalism that was very wide spread at that time. The clothes that she wears are usually composed of short skirts or mini skirts that shows more skin. Being the case, the female identity of becoming more liberated is seen in the clothes that they wear (Moseley 38-19). During this time dressing less really was more. Twiggy was able to stand for the change that mirrors for the sentiment of the most females during that era. As Twiggy said so herself â€Å"The sixties were a time when ordinary people could do extraordinary thing . . .† (Lawson). Twiggy and Popular Culture The iconic status that Twiggy has in the fashion industry can be regarded as transitory rather than permanent. This is due to the fact that her influence in the fashion world as well as in other areas of the arts still exists up to this present time. Contrary to the common fear of most models of the fashion industry that are regarded as â€Å"has-been† when they no longer comprehend with the certain style or look of the time, Twiggy transcends this limitation to a model (Craik 282-285). She was able to revolutionize the fashion industry once again when she paved the way for models in their forties to still be profitable in the industry during her commercial campaign when Marks and Spencer. Most importantly, she is the embodiment of the idea that models are not all beauty because they also have the brains due to the various advocacies that she has.

Free Essays on Hello IPod

â€Å"Hello, iPod† Music storage devices such as Mp3 players have become progressively a more popular trend today then it had been earlier, especially with the boom of music downloading. It seems almost everyone owns an mp3 player, and most likely it is an Apple iPod. Apple iPods are in fact riding on the pop culture wave; their use has changed the American youth socially, and in a beneficial way. The world has become a rapidly changing place, this holds true especially with technology, where a product can turn from cutting edge to obsolete in a matter of weeks. Although there is one gadget that seems to have etched its place in stone, the Apple iPod. It has become a household name; a name that brings fun, pleasure and excitement to everyday life. It has a reputation all of its own. The truth is that many believe iPod is simply one of the best media inventions of modern times. Its ability to carry 10,000 songs anywhere can be seen as a blessing to a multitude of people. On October 23, 2001, Apple introduced the first iPod, which became, and still is, one of the most sought after products in consumer history. Immediately, some nicknamed it the â€Å"Tickle Me Elmo† of that year. By the end of December 2001, Apple had sold more than 125,000 iPods, and by June 23, 2003, Apple had sold their one millionth iPod, in a little over a year and a half after the release date of the product. On January 6, 2004, Apple reached the two million mark, less then six months after Apple hit they’re one millionth mark. The demand for iPods was astounding, and Apple couldn’t keep up with the consumer demand. Due to the demand for iPods and lack of supply, PC and printer manufacturing giant, Hewlett-Packard licensed the iPod from Apple and entered the market with hopes of increasing the supply, but to no avail. These days the demand is still high but there is a steady supply of iPods to go around. When the typical American consumer buys an iPod... Free Essays on Hello IPod Free Essays on Hello IPod â€Å"Hello, iPod† Music storage devices such as Mp3 players have become progressively a more popular trend today then it had been earlier, especially with the boom of music downloading. It seems almost everyone owns an mp3 player, and most likely it is an Apple iPod. Apple iPods are in fact riding on the pop culture wave; their use has changed the American youth socially, and in a beneficial way. The world has become a rapidly changing place, this holds true especially with technology, where a product can turn from cutting edge to obsolete in a matter of weeks. Although there is one gadget that seems to have etched its place in stone, the Apple iPod. It has become a household name; a name that brings fun, pleasure and excitement to everyday life. It has a reputation all of its own. The truth is that many believe iPod is simply one of the best media inventions of modern times. Its ability to carry 10,000 songs anywhere can be seen as a blessing to a multitude of people. On October 23, 2001, Apple introduced the first iPod, which became, and still is, one of the most sought after products in consumer history. Immediately, some nicknamed it the â€Å"Tickle Me Elmo† of that year. By the end of December 2001, Apple had sold more than 125,000 iPods, and by June 23, 2003, Apple had sold their one millionth iPod, in a little over a year and a half after the release date of the product. On January 6, 2004, Apple reached the two million mark, less then six months after Apple hit they’re one millionth mark. The demand for iPods was astounding, and Apple couldn’t keep up with the consumer demand. Due to the demand for iPods and lack of supply, PC and printer manufacturing giant, Hewlett-Packard licensed the iPod from Apple and entered the market with hopes of increasing the supply, but to no avail. These days the demand is still high but there is a steady supply of iPods to go around. When the typical American consumer buys an iPod...

3 Tips for Writing Your Williams College Supplement

3 Tips for Writing Your Williams College Supplement SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Williams is among the most selective colleges in the country, with an acceptance rate of 15 percent. As part of your Williams application, you’ll need to respond to the Williams writing supplement. In this article, we’ll cover the three questions that make up the Williams writing supplement, offer suggestions for what to write about in your essay, and give you tips for crafting the best essay possible. The Williams Writing Supplement There are three different questions on the Williams writing supplement. You need to respond to one of them as part of your application. 1. At Williams we believe that bringing together students and professors in small groups produces extraordinary academic outcomes. Our distinctive Oxford-style tutorial classes- in which two students are guided by a professor in deep exploration of a single topic- are a prime example. Each week the students take turns developing independent work- an essay, a problem set, a piece of art- and critiquing their partner’s work. Focused on close reading, writing and oral defense of ideas, more than 60 tutorials a year are offered across the curriculum, with titles like Aesthetic Outrage, Financial Crises: Causes and Cures, and Genome Sciences: At the Cutting Edge. Imagine yourself in a tutorial at Williams. Of anyone in the world, whom would you choose to be your partner in the class, and why? 2. Each Sunday night, in a tradition called Storytime, students, faculty and staff gather to hear a fellow community member relate a brief story from their life (and to munch on the storyteller’s favorite homemade cookies). What story would you share? What lessons have you drawn from that story, and how would those lessons inform your time at Williams? 3. Every first-year student at Williams lives in an Entry- a thoughtfully constructed microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience. From the moment they arrive, students find themselves in what’s likely the most diverse collection of backgrounds, perspectives and interests they’ve ever encountered. What might differentiate you from the 19 other first-year students in an entry? What perspective(s) would you add to the conversation with your peers? Each question has the same instructions: respond to the prompt in 300 words or fewer. Writing the Williams writing supplement is optional, so you can choose whether you want to answer a question or not. Should I Write an Essay for the Williams Writing Supplement? When you’re working on your Williams College application, you might notice that the Williams Writing Supplement is entirely optional. So should you write an essay? Or skip it altogether? It would be a huge mistake to not write the Williams College supplement. While the instructions do say optional, the statement isn’t really optional. Choosing not to write an essay will make you look like you don’t care that much about being accepted to Williams. Along the same lines, your Williams writing supplement is a great way to show the admissions committee aspects of your personality that aren’t highlighted in the rest of your application. Take that opportunity! Show the admissions committee why you belong on Williams’ campus. What Should I Write About in My Williams College Supplement? Let’s take a look at each of the Williams College supplement questions and discuss what you could write about in each. At Williams we believe that bringing together students and professors in small groups produces extraordinary academic outcomes. Our distinctive Oxford-style tutorial classes- in which two students are guided by a professor in deep exploration of a single topic- are a prime example. Each week the students take turns developing independent work- an essay, a problem set, a piece of art- and critiquing their partner’s work. Focused on close reading, writing and oral defense of ideas, more than 60 tutorials a year are offered across the curriculum, with titles like Aesthetic Outrage, Financial Crises: Causes and Cures, and Genome Sciences: At the Cutting Edge. Imagine yourself in a tutorial at Williams. Of anyone in the world, whom would you choose to be your partner in the class, and why? While it may seem like there are endless ways to answer this question, there are really only two real options: you can pick someone you know personally or you can pick someone you’ve never met, but have always wanted to. Whichever direction you go in, you should make sure to have a specific reason for choosing that person. If you pick someone you know personally, you can use this essay as an opportunity to talk about experiences you’ve had that have greatly affected you. You could, for instance, choose someone you met on a service trip who taught you about hard work or the director of a musical that you participated in that taught you a lot about self confidence. In either of these examples, you’ll be able to talk not only about the influential figure, but about an important part of your life (the service trip or the musical). If you decide to go the celebrity or famous person route, you should make sure to have a real reason why you want to meet that person - a reason that reflects how they influence you. Love isn’t the same as influence - you can love a celebrity but that doesn’t mean they’ve had a huge impact on your life. It’s fine to pick Chrissy Teigen, but only if you talk about how you’d really like her help dissecting a tutorial on social media. If you’re struggling to pick a person, it can be helpful to come up with a tutorial topic that you’d like to participate in first. Having parameters like class topic can be useful for giving you ideas for how to answer the question. Each Sunday night, in a tradition called Storytime, students, faculty and staff gather to hear a fellow community member relate a brief story from their life (and to munch on the storyteller’s favorite homemade cookies). What story would you share? What lessons have you drawn from that story, and how would those lessons inform your time at Williams? While this prompt talks a Williams-specific tradition, Storytime, the question itself is a common one in admissions essays: sharing about a time when you learned an important lesson. To master this prompt, you need to pick a specific experience. It doesn’t need to be earth-shattering or impressive, but it does need to have real significance in your life. You should pick an authentic experience that you actually had - don’t make something up or exaggerate to try to seem more important. Your essay should have a clear narrative arc with a beginning, middle, and end. Make sure to include your takeaways and reflections in the end of the response. Every first-year student at Williams lives in an Entry- a thoughtfully constructed microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience. From the moment they arrive, students find themselves in what’s likely the most diverse collection of backgrounds, perspectives and interests they’ve ever encountered. What might differentiate you from the 19 other first-year students in an entry? What perspective(s) would you add to the conversation with your peers? This Williams College supplement prompt gives you an opportunity to share more about what makes you unique. Don’t fall into the trap, though, of sharing too much! Pick one specific trait or identity to talk about. You don’t need to talk about every single thing you’ve ever done or liked. In your essay, be sure to talk about how the trait or identity you chose has affected your perspective. Maybe being introverted has let you observe more about other people. Maybe being a member of the LGBTQ+ community has taught you about the importance of respecting others’ differences. Whatever you choose, make sure to fully flesh out how and why that trait has affected your perspective and why that perspective would be valuable to the Williams community. Tips for Writing a Strong Williams College Supplement Essay Writing a strong Williams College supplement essay isn’t just about picking the right prompt to answer. You need to make sure your essay is the best possible example of your work in order to wow the admissions committee. Follow these three tips for writing an amazing Williams supplement essay. #1: Be Authentic The point of a college essay is for the admissions committee to have the chance to get to know you beyond your test scores, grades, and honors. Your admissions essays are your opportunity to make yourself come alive for the essay readers and to present yourself as a fully fleshed out person. You should, then, make sure that the person you’re presenting in your college essays is yourself. Don’t try to emulate what you think the committee wants to hear or try to act like someone you’re not. If you lie or exaggerate, your essay will come across as insincere, which will diminish its effectiveness. Stick to telling real stories about the person you really are, not who you think Williams wants you to be. #2: Play With Form The Williams College supplement essays leave a lot of room open for creative expression - use that! You don’t need to stick to a five paragraph essay structure here. You can play with the length and style of your sentences - you could even dabble in poetry if that makes sense! Whichever form you pick, make sure it fits with the story you’re trying to tell and how you want to express yourself. #3: Proofread and Polish Your Essay Your Williams essay should be the strongest example of your work possible. Before you turn in your application, make sure to edit and proofread your essays. Your work should be free of spelling and grammar errors. Make sure to run your essays through a spelling and grammar check before you submit. It’s a good idea to have someone else read your Williams College supplement essay, too. You can seek a second opinion on your work from a parent, teacher, or friend. Ask them whether your work represents you as a student and person. Have them check and make sure you haven’t missed any small writing errors. Having a second opinion will help your work be the best it possibly can be. Final Thoughts While the Williams College supplement says it’s optional, it’s not really! You should answer the essay as part of your application. When writing your Williams College supplement response, DO: Be authentic and true to yourself. Tell stories that are meaningful to your identity and experience. DON’T: Lie or exaggerate to seem more important. Forget to proofread or polish your essay. What’s Next? Wondering how to ace the Common Application? No problem! We’ve got you covered with tips and tricks to make your application stand out from the crowd. Starting your essay is often the hardest part.If you're unsure where to begin, check out this guide to starting a college essay perfectly, and don't be afraid to just dive right in! If you're applying to Williams College, you're likely applying to other colleges on the East Coast, too. Check out our expert guides to the Duke essay, the Tufts essays, and the Harvard essay. Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

Verbs of Being Definition (English Grammar)

Verbs of Being Definition (English Grammar) In traditional grammar and pedagogical grammar, a verb that does not show action instead indicates a state of being. In other words, a state-of-being verb identifies who or what a noun is, was, or will be. Although in English most being verbs are forms of to be (am, are, is, was, were, will be, being, been), other verbs (such as become, seem, appear) can also function as verbs of being. Compare them with stative verbs, and contrast them with verbs of doing (dynamic verbs), or action verbs. Stylistic Advice: Avoid "Be" When You Can Unfortunately, to be verbs do not make for the most exciting writing to read when a piece is overloaded with them (buzzing with bes). Action verbs are stronger than to be verbs because they portray more imagery. Action verbs also make for more impactful, shorter sentences, as to be verbs often are found in passive sentences as well. Replace being verbs where you can, during your editing round of writing your piece. (The drafting phase is for getting your information organized and put together.) Not all being verbs or even passive voice can be avoided, of course, but where they can be replaced, your sentences will be livelier  and punchier and will flow more quickly. Improving Examples Compare the following sentences and their improvements: Jerry was working hard.Jerry worked hard.Mary is a big fan of Bach.Mary adores Bach. In the latter improvement, the verb was changed completely, to be more descriptive. Excising Passive Voice To get rid of passive voice, turn the sentence around and start with the doer of the action rather than the object of the action. See the difference between: Their house was invaded by bugs.Bugs invaded their house.The package was sent by Bob.Bob sent the package. Passive voice has its place, such as when the result is more important than who did the action. For example, The record low temperature was broken last night, after 104 years, or when the actor is unknown, such as in, Its recommended to have the furnace serviced once per year. (Though these sentences still could be revised out of passive by adding subjects and recasting them, such as We hit a record low last night, breaking a 104-year record and Manufacturers recommend having...) Hamlet's "To Be or Not to Be" One of the most famous being verb sentences surely is the famous soliloquy of Hamlets, in his eponymous Shakespearean play. Author Crystal Downing reminds us, though, that people need to take into account the fact that the speech is written in iambic pentameter when working out its meaning: When people pronounce Hamlets famous line, they usually emphasize the that, as though Hamlet cannot make up his mind about killing himself: To be, or not to be-

Ethics for a society of humans and automatons Essay

Ethics for a society of humans and automatons - Essay Example Forester and Morrison strongly suggest that â€Å"computer system have often proved to be insecure, unreliable, and unpredictable and that society has yet to come to terms with the consequences†¦.society has become newly vulnerable to human misuse of computers in the form of computer crime, software theft, hacking, the creation of viruses, invasion of privacy, and so on† (ix). The ethical dilemmas however do not rise simply for the fact that there are risks involved with the automatons. More than risks, when the automatons become largely entwined in the daily lives human beings on the earth, we have to deal with many more complex issues which ethically challenge the governance of such a world. Allen, Wallach and Smitt are of the view that â€Å"we can’t just sit back and hope things will turn out for the best. We already have semiautonomous robots and software agents that violate ethical standards as a matter of course. A search engine, for example, might collect data that’s legally considered to be private, unbeknownst to the user who initiated the query† (12). Three Laws of Robotics While we regard ethics in terms of automaton, it is necessary to look at Issac Asimov’s three laws of robotics. These laws were delineated in his famous 1942 short story ‘Runaround’. ... It means if a robot wants to protect in a given situation, it shall not be at the expense of harm to human beings. The ethical laws pertaining to moving machines are considered to be mechanical. Ethics is considered by definition to be anthropocentric. Ethics involves ruminations on living a life which is worthy to live. Asimov’s three laws are an important starting point in understanding machine ethics: â€Å"1. A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the first law. 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law† (as quoted in Anderson, 477-78). These laws as originally proposed by Asimov imagine automatons as slaves of human beings. Moreover, they are not even considered to be able to exit relatively independent of human beings. Asimov has â₠¬Å"provided an explanation for why humans feel the need to treat intelligent robots as slaves, an explanation that shows a weakness in human beings that makes it difficult for them to be ethical paragons. Because of this weakness, it seems likely that machines like Andrew could be more ethical than most human beings† argues Anderson (478). However, in the present world, the complex interactions take place between humans and automatons take us beyond the purview of these three laws concerning ethical governance of mechanized world. Altering the Ethical Man Albert Einstein put forward the question â€Å"Did God have any choice?† as the big question faced by humanity. In a society of automata, human beings are faced with another question. Did human beings have any choice?

Experiment 2 Resonant circuit Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Experiment 2 Resonant circuit - Lab Report Example However, this current if often affected by several other factors both from within the connection itself and from without i.e. from the external environment. Impedance, the vector sum of reactance and resistance, describes the phase difference and the ratio of amplitudes between sinusoidally varying voltage and sinusoidally varying current at a given frequency. Fourier analysis allows any signal to be constructed from a spectrum of frequencies, whence the circuit's reaction to the various frequencies may be found. This paper will look at the measurement/ the process of determining the amount of current flowing through an electric circuit by use of a resonator. This is done by analyzing the frequencies of the resonation reflected on the resonator. The level of current transmitted by different sources of power differs depending on the voltage capacity of the source. Sources with higher voltage will result in the increase in the amount of current flowing through the circuit when the loop is closed and the low voltage sources will as well result into low current flowing within the circuit. When the connection is terminated, the current ceases to flow and the charge stored in the capacitor is lost (as the capacitor discharges) (Hammond). Besides, the resonant is used to establish the amount of charge radiated into the capacitor during charging and the amount/ rate of loss of charges over time as the capacitor discharges. The experiment was carried out by setting up a circuit connection off with an AC power source as the source of current transmitted through the circuit and the two nodes X and Y connected to the resonator. These nodes reflect the frequency of the current flowing through the circuit as reflected in the wavelengths on the resonator. When the circuit is closed, current flows through it and the wavelengths of the current shown on the resonator, contrary, when the circuit is broken, the current cease to low and the waves ceases to be transmitted across the circuit. This is indicated by the cession in the projection of the waves on the resonator and the cession of the resonation capacity of the resonator. Certain physical factors are used to determine this variation in the flow of current. These include the amplitude, a, of the waves transmitted through the circuit and the wavelength, ?, of the waves produced as current flows through the connection. While the amplitude of the current shown on the resonator indicates the amount of current passed across at any given instance, the frequency of these wavelengths qualifies the voltage of the power source. The principles mused in this experiment is that of the flow of current in an electric circuit determined by the power source. That the higher the power voltage, the higher the amount of current flowing through the circuit and vice versa. The capacitance of the capacitors is then determined to indicate the amount of charge stored in the capacitors. This capacitance varies from time to time depending on the voltage strength of the power source. The total capacitance of the device that resonates with the inductance of the winding tested is the distributed capacitance; Cd. Experience shows that this result is considered axiomatic by many Engineers. (Hammond) This experiment id very important for electricians and engineers as it helps them the determine with rather accuracy the

Frontier Airline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Frontier Airline - Essay Example The airline has thus faced a number of challenges. First, it has been difficult finding and training adequate number of staff, especially pilots and technicians. Tin general, there are a shortage of qualified staff and the turnover of employees is quite high. Secondly, the airline has had its business disrupted as a result of labor strikes by employees. Most of the workers are represented by unions, and therefore cases of labor strikes are common. Thirdly, there has been an increase in the labor costs in the United States. Given that labor costs make up a significant percentage of the total operating costs, the airline has been pressured to increase salaries and benefits for the workers. This has in turn increased the operating costs significantly. Forth, the airline relies on a single manufacturer for all of the regional jets. One of the major risks is the inability of the manufacturer to provide the required parts and services in good time. Finally, since the airline is affected by the common stock, the price of this stock may flu ctuate as a result of the actions of other partners, competitors or the economy in general. In addition to the above internal challenges, there are external factors associated with the airline industry in general. First, the airline faces competition from other regional airlines operated by major airlines. In addition, some of these airlines offer low fare prices, making it difficult for the airline to attract higher passenger numbers without reducing fare prices. Secondly, the airline industry has generally been affected by a number of labor strikes. Therefore, the new collective bargaining agreements entered into by different carriers generally help to increase industry wages which in turn affect the airline. Thirdly, the recent economic problems experienced in the United States and around the world have impacted the airline’s operations. There has been a

Reports on Penetration Testing on Operating Systems and Database Research Paper

Reports on Penetration Testing on Operating Systems and Database Security to Ensure Reliabilty and Integrity - Research Paper Example In the context of penetration testing on operating systems, it can be affirmed that the aspect i.e. penetration testing is often viewed as an elementary area of information systems based on security engineering (McDermott, 2001). In precise, the facet of penetration testing is often regarded as ‘pen testing’ or ‘security testing’ method which tends to assess the safety of a computer network or system by testing it from the viewpoint of an attacker i.e. a hacker or a cracker. This significant aspect i.e. penetration testing cannot be duly considered as an alternative to other security measures related to information technology (IT). Rather, it is regarded as the approach which significantly assures the security of a network or system in terms of protecting it from being attacked by an intruder (Brown Computer Science, 2010). Techniques of Penetration Testing on Operating Systems The different techniques of penetration testing on operating systems can be appar ently observed as gathering valuable information, scanning internet protocol (IP) addresses, performing fingerprinting, recognizing vulnerable services, exploiting vulnerability activities and finally fixing major problems. The prime intention of the technique i.e. gathering valuable information is to determine the diverse range of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses possessed by an organization. ... tice concerning the recognition of vulnerable service targets is performed to gain greater access to the operating systems along with ensuring that the operating systems are not harmed internally or externally. The technique linked with exploiting vulnerability activities enables to exploit certain detected vulnerabilities such as buffer and heal overflow, code injection, cross-site scripting and SQL injection among others. The prime intention of the technique related to fixing major problems is to recognize the active ports that run on the operating systems. The identification of these active ports might support to protect the operating systems through developing along with upgrading client/server architecture, conducting thorough or non-destructive tests and constructing vulnerability mapping among others (Brown Computer Science, 2010). Thus, on the basis of the above discussion, it can be affirmed from a broader outlook that the aforesaid techniques would certainly facilitate to p rotect the operating networks or systems by a significant level. Significance of Penetration Testing on Operating Systems In this high-tech era, the importance of penetration testing especially within the periphery of operating systems has gained relevance by a considerable level. The procedure of conducting an effectual penetration test enables to confirm that new along with existing operating systems and networks are not susceptible to security risks that might permit unlawful access to exploit valuable resources. It can be observed over a few preceding years that the business corporations in this present era are adopting and executing modern technological tools such as advanced operating systems for the purpose of delivering quality and effective services to the consumers. The broader

Solving a Complex Problem at EMC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Solving a Complex Problem at EMC - Research Paper Example Analysis of the situation in the Plasti-brack product line The problems with the Plasti-brack product line are numerous. The reject rate lies between 12 and 20% which is very high and is obviously costing the company since it takes money and time to correct defects. When customers buy products that are defective it can affect the company’s business in terms of the public perception as one unsatisfied customer can lead to a loss of other customers. The molding dies are very old which means that they have been bought and stored for too long. This implies that the company is holding too much of this type of inventory. There is a problem with the dies which means that they have to be replaced. New plastic injection die cost between $25,000 and $30,000 each. This means that it will cost the company between $150,000 and $180,000 to replace the six dies. The company will only be able to get these within six weeks from the date of order which means quick action is required in terms of the best way forward. The M101molding machine has a record of high unscheduled repair and downtime requiring minor adjustments several times per week. Replacing or repairing this machine should lead to a significant reduction in backlog. The advantages and disadvantages of replacing or overhauling the machine need to be analyzed before making a decision. Additionally, the availability of funds is another factor that should be considered in making the decision. The purchasing manager has also indicated that there are resins of better grade that can be used. They cost between 10 and 15% more than the one which is currently in use with the more expensive one – the RP625 being able to reduce some of the scrapped parts generated by the MG251. However, he is not sure how the RP515 which is the cheaper one would do. A decision is therefore required and since waste is an issue the RP625 may be ideal. Another matter for consideration is that a new shift will mean a shift premium of 1 5% or overtime work at time and a half. New shift will mean employing additional staff and this cost money. It is possible that the six weeks back log may be resolved by quick changeover and a reduction in machine down time. However, current productivity levels need to be determined. The set up times which is the die changeover time for both blanking and molding is four (4) hours on average which means that more than half the work time is spent on just setting up. If this can be reduced it would benefit the company tremendously since it would increase production. Tom Tucker has indicated that it would cost $10,000 to modify dies with quick clamps in order to reduce set up times to between half hour and one hour. This reduction in set up time would lead to twice the production levels per day. Diagnosis of the problem In addition to the frequent downtime in machine M101 which is a major problem, it appears as if the die changeover time is the main reason for the back log. Once somethi ng is done in relation to machine M101 then the problems associated with Machine Group 251 for which it is apart may be completely resolved. The die changeover currently takes an average of 4 hours. Reducing this time should double daily production levels. Therefore, overtime may not be an major issue in resolving the backlog issue. Plan for resolving the problem The problem

Systematic Review of Research on Prepubescent Sexual Activity and Paper

Systematic Review of on Prepubescent Sexual Activity and Subsequent Abnormal PAP Smears (CIN cells) - Research Paper Example It shall first present a description of the current practice in the clinical unit, including its related policies, procedures, guidelines, reporting mechanisms, and the literature underpinning its practice. Then a comprehensive overview of a systematic review of a study related to drugs and alcohol and their relation to depression shall be presented. Two appraisal guidelines which can be used to appraise the systematic review shall be critically discussed. Similarities and differences between these guidelines shall be included. Finally, based on evidence discussed in the systematic review, advice and recommendations in my area of practice shall be forwarded. These recommendations shall be explained in relation to relevant literature. This study is being undertaken in order to establish a critical and comprehensive assessment of the current subject matter and nursing/midwifery practice. Body Brief description of unit The current practice in my clinical unit as a nurse is on dealing wi th alcohol and drug abuse patients who have a history of prepubescent sexual abuse. We routinely carry out PAP smears on these patients and find many of them to be positive for precancerous CIN cells. Many of them are also found to be depressed. Nurses who are working in units with alcohol and drug patients are involved with patients who usually have had a history of using drug and alcohol abuse. Patients in this unit are those who have used tobacco, alcohol, prescribed drugs, illicit drugs, amphetamines and cannabis, and a combination of drugs and alcohol. Nurses are the most numerous members of the health care profession and are often the ones who spend the most time with the patients. As such, they have to be equipped with the skills and the expertise in order to guide their patients towards full recovery. Working with drug and alcohol patients is a role of the advanced nurse practitioner. Advanced nurse practitioners are registered nurses who are educated and authorized to perfo rm duties autonomously and in coordination with other nurses in the advanced clinical setting (Ling, 2007). It includes the process of assessment and management of clients using skills and knowledge which may include the direct referral of patients to other health professionals, prescribing medications, and ordering further diagnostic tests (Ling, 2007). In the clinical setting where I work, we usually receive drug and alcohol patients. Upon meeting them, an overall initial assessment is carried out on these patients, including an assessment of the way they talk, the way they talk, their mannerisms, their physical demeanor, and similar qualities. An interview would then follow with the end goal of gathering as much information as possible about the patient’s history, as well as their living conditions, their eating, alcohol, drug, and possibly other habits impacting on their health. This assessment process would determine the next steps for the nurse and the patient – whether more diagnostic tests need to be undertaken, whether there is a need to refer the patient to a therapist, and whether or not the patient needs to be assessed for depression. Since this unit is involved in carrying out PAP smears, the PAP smear shall be scheduled for the patient after proper consent forms are signed and filled up. As an advanced practice nurse in the clinical unit, the role as counselor also sets in, especially if these patients are also depressed. The

Solving a Complex Problem at EMC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Solving a Complex Problem at EMC - Research Paper Example Analysis of the situation in the Plasti-brack product line The problems with the Plasti-brack product line are numerous. The reject rate lies between 12 and 20% which is very high and is obviously costing the company since it takes money and time to correct defects. When customers buy products that are defective it can affect the company’s business in terms of the public perception as one unsatisfied customer can lead to a loss of other customers. The molding dies are very old which means that they have been bought and stored for too long. This implies that the company is holding too much of this type of inventory. There is a problem with the dies which means that they have to be replaced. New plastic injection die cost between $25,000 and $30,000 each. This means that it will cost the company between $150,000 and $180,000 to replace the six dies. The company will only be able to get these within six weeks from the date of order which means quick action is required in terms of the best way forward. The M101molding machine has a record of high unscheduled repair and downtime requiring minor adjustments several times per week. Replacing or repairing this machine should lead to a significant reduction in backlog. The advantages and disadvantages of replacing or overhauling the machine need to be analyzed before making a decision. Additionally, the availability of funds is another factor that should be considered in making the decision. The purchasing manager has also indicated that there are resins of better grade that can be used. They cost between 10 and 15% more than the one which is currently in use with the more expensive one – the RP625 being able to reduce some of the scrapped parts generated by the MG251. However, he is not sure how the RP515 which is the cheaper one would do. A decision is therefore required and since waste is an issue the RP625 may be ideal. Another matter for consideration is that a new shift will mean a shift premium of 1 5% or overtime work at time and a half. New shift will mean employing additional staff and this cost money. It is possible that the six weeks back log may be resolved by quick changeover and a reduction in machine down time. However, current productivity levels need to be determined. The set up times which is the die changeover time for both blanking and molding is four (4) hours on average which means that more than half the work time is spent on just setting up. If this can be reduced it would benefit the company tremendously since it would increase production. Tom Tucker has indicated that it would cost $10,000 to modify dies with quick clamps in order to reduce set up times to between half hour and one hour. This reduction in set up time would lead to twice the production levels per day. Diagnosis of the problem In addition to the frequent downtime in machine M101 which is a major problem, it appears as if the die changeover time is the main reason for the back log. Once somethi ng is done in relation to machine M101 then the problems associated with Machine Group 251 for which it is apart may be completely resolved. The die changeover currently takes an average of 4 hours. Reducing this time should double daily production levels. Therefore, overtime may not be an major issue in resolving the backlog issue. Plan for resolving the problem The problem

GUCCI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

GUCCI - Essay Example Exhibit A and Exhibit E show in the new 2006 Ready to Wear advertisement that GUCCI Blouses are far advanced in terms of trends and fashion design as compared to many of its blouse competitors like DKNY, D & G, BCBG, Burberry, Diesel, and others. The financial statement of DKNY shows that the net profit is only a low 8% of the net sales. (www.edgar-on-line.com) The key functions of buying and merchandising and other liaison with retail and marketing include ranging, pricing, promotions and space allocation. Buyers also identify market opportunities to meet changing consumer needs The market opportunity, based on the trend forecast, shows that GUCCI blouses are one of the top fashion statements that many of the "rich" clients love to keep as display items both on their person and at home. In accounting, the projected Income statement is estimated by first projecting the future sales. In this case the blouse sales have been estimated to be 2.5% higher than its previous 7% per year. To get the sales for three months, the annual sales of 7% of 210 million pounds is multiplied 3 months and divided by 12 months. The months are July, August and September. Therefore the estimated sales are 4.99 million pounds for the three month period. The projected sales as stated in the problem is 210 million and blouses took 7% of the sales. This year you are looking for a 2.5% increase and you are expected to operate on 8 weeks cover. This will translate to ([210 million x (.07+.025) ] x (3/12) = $1.322 million for the 3 month period. Therefore the buying department will have to spend 1.322 million pounds for the entire three month blouse purchases. Exhibit C shows the balance sheet for 2002 to 2004. The blouses will then be presented to the brand director for approval. After approval from the brand director, the blouses will be presented to the retailers for display in its regularly assigned store shelves and show rooms. Exhibit D shows the WSSI estimates. The retail stores prefer companies, like GUCCI, that have fast moving items since most retail stores base their commissions on total sales. If the sales are slow, then the retail outlets will have lower commissions. GUCCI, also, has its own fashion galleries and stores plus its many catwalk presentations that will increase sales. Buying price ranges for each Gucci blouse (Eicher, 2003) is 30 pounds, 40 pounds, 50 pounds, 60 pounds, 70 pounds and 80 pounds. These will be respectively sold at 113 pounds, 150 pounds, 188 pounds, 226 pounds, 264 pounds and 300 pounds respectively. Gucci products are being sold in over fifty countries. This includes United States, Europe, Asia, Canada and others. Regarding the retail marketing it does against competitors etc, "Companies like Gucci and Max Mara, with their own stores and no-frills management style, may be better fixed than others. And as Mr. Maramotti said after the Max Mara show, with its romantic peasant blouses, sashed dresses in men's-wear fabrics and crisp Sergeant Pepper jackets, 'we make nice clothes for real people.' '' (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.htmlres=9501E1DA123DF931A35753C1A9679C8B63&pagewanted=print) Gucci product ranges include fashion jewelry,

Process of law Essay Example for Free

Process of law Essay According to the law, no person is to be deprived of life or liberty without the due process of the law.   Due process in this sense does not only refer to the adherence to certain procedural rules such as the Miranda Rights or the presentation of a warrant of arrest.   Due process is basically a two-fold rule because it involves substantial and procedural aspects.   As discussed, procedural due process is not enough.   There must also be substantial due process which is used to justify the deprivation of life or liberty. This rule is applicable not only in criminal or civil proceedings in front of the Courts of Justice.   As has been held in the cases of Goss vs. Lopez (419 U.S. 565) and Wisconsin v. Constantineau (400 U.S. 433) (1971), the due process of law applies equally to administrative proceedings.   As so eloquently stated in the case of Wisconsin v. Constantineau (400 U.S. 433) (1971), [T]he right to be heard before being condemned to suffer grievous loss of any kind, even though it may not involve the stigma and hardships of a criminal conviction, is a principle basic to our society.  (Wisconsin v. Constantineau 400 U.S. 433). For a clearer understanding, this principle will be applied to criminal case and then compared to the administrative process.   In certain criminal cases, the problem with regard to due process may lie in the fact that while the procedural due process aspect may have been satisfied by making a valid arrest, the substantial aspect may be left wanting due to the lack of any evidence, circumstantial or direct, that can be used as the grounds for making of such an arrest. In administrative cases, due process is also applied, especially when it deals with a â€Å"grievous loss.†Ã‚   This is applied to disciplinary cases that involve the loss of certain rights and privileges.   In fact, in certain cases, due process has been said to apply to any situation wherein there is a diminution of legally provided benefits.   As seen in the case of Goss vs. Lopez (419 U.S. 565), which involved the suspension of a student for ten (10) days without any hearing, the Supreme Court ruled that this was unconstitutional for being a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.   The Supreme Court declared that though it was a school hearing, such was considered as an administrative hearing that warranted the application of the due process clause. In another case, Wisconsin v. Constantineau 400 U.S. 433 the Supreme Court ruled on the issue the posting of notices on the sale of intoxicating liquors and the authority of the police chief to authorize such an act.   The Supreme Court in this case also decided that due process required that hearing and notice was needed before such a regulation was to be imposed.   Due process means that the law hears before it condemns.   It was therefore required that procedure be strictly followed to allow people to protect their honor and reputation. When the forefathers drafted the constitution, they had in mind a fine balance between the rights of individuals and the public good.   It was recognized even during that time that there are certain things that are necessary in order that the greater good for the public can be protected.   By unduly restricting the power of officers of the law to uphold the law, the efficacy of such laws may be hampered and the rights of the public may not be sufficiently protected.   In order for the rights of the public to be duly protected, it is necessary therefore that due process be observed.   As mentioned, the law that the forefathers envisioned is one that hears before it condemns. Given the power that the government is provided, there is a necessity of placing certain restrictions.   This may come in the form of the bill of rights or the due process clause as contained in the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.   It does not matter whether it is a criminal case or an administrative case, the important thing is that once the issue involves a deprivation of rights and privileges that a person has been entitled to due process must be strictly observed.   Cases Cited: Goss vs. Lopez (419 U.S. 565) Wisconsin v. Constantineau (400 U.S. 433)

To Kill A Mockingbird Essay :: Kill Mockingbird essays

Modes of Communication in To Kill a Mockingbird      Effective communication is a result of the utilization of different techniques to convey a particular idea or perspective. Different methods used to express a person's feelings are found throughout society and aid in creating a learned individual, family, and community. In the novel To Kill a Mocking Bird, Harper Lee uses several modes of communication to display her feelings on moral, political, and social issues. Lee's tactics parallel those used by one character in her novel, Atticus Finch. In order to express his feelings to his children, Atticus uses three simple teaching devices; the use of examples, verbal statements, and learning through experience. Although Atticus uses these techniques to develop his children into positive members of society, Lee uses them to create an image for the reader that will ultimately constitute a general understanding of growing up in the south in the mid-nineteen thirties.    One of the methods of communication that Atticus Finch uses is that of an example. By providing his children with a realistic and visual model, Atticus establishes an exemplary learning environment. The most prevalent display of Atticus' utilization of examples is the one he sets himself. He makes it a common practice to live his life as he would like his children to live theirs, and thus displays the attributes of an honest, respectable, and kind man. Atticus demonstrates his character by defending Tom Robinson, a black man on trial for the rape of a white woman. Throughout the trial process, Atticus shows Jem and Scout that true courage is standing up for what you believe in and that all worthy human beings, despite their race, deserve respect. Atticus also tries to be a perfect southern gentleman, teaching Jem and Scout to have grace and compassion for all people. His treatment of Mrs. Dubose proves this characteristic. Even though Mrs. Dubose makes vicious comments and criticisms of Atticus and his children, he still manages to treat her in the kindest manner; complimenting her appearance and helping her into her chair. Atticus sets examples to teach Jem and Scout some values a good person should have. Harper Lee, however, uses examples of life in her novel to give a broader view of humankind.    In order to depict the values, attitudes, and class structures of a small southern town in the mid-nineteen thirties, Harper Lee created various examples.

The Creation of God in Apocalypse Now in Relation to Frazers The Golde

The Creation of God in Apocalypse Now in Relation to Frazer's The Golden Bough      Ã‚  Ã‚   Very rarely do filmmakers intend to create cinematic masterpieces which integrate and draw upon lush literary qualities and leave the viewer with a deeper feeling of life and death than he or she had before viewing the film. Even if some filmmakers do attempt to create a masterpiece, symbolic and complex, many fall short. However, when Francis Coppola created Apocalypse Now, he succeeded in creating a masterpiece, drawing upon the complicated story within Conrad's Heart of Darkness and the savage observations within Frazer's The Golden Bough. The character of Colonel Kurtz in both Conrad's and Coppola's works, is one of a complicated, volatile renaissance man; he is at the same time a ruthless, body collecting warrior and a artistic philosopher. Kurtz's "divinity is like fire, which under proper restraints, confers endless blessings, but if rashly touched, burns and destroys what it touches" (Frazer 13). Kurtz, as a savage icon, is capable of greatness and is brutally ma licious at the same time. Where Coppola strays from Conrad, he does so to show Kurtz's deliberate choice to become a god-like figure and be destroyed in the tradition of the savages. Through the savage beliefs of tabooed head and hair, the slaying of the divine king, and sympathetic magic, Coppola creates a more savagely realistic character in Kurtz.    Perhaps one of Col. KurtzÕs most prominent physical features in Apocalypse Now is his shaven head. Frazer explains that, to the savages, the head and hair of their divine king is tabooed, and "to touch the top of the head, or anything which had been on his head was sacrilege" (Frazer 812). To the savages, their king ra... ...in Cambodia after he slays Kurtz because either Chef had ordered the air strike, or because Willard, eventhough he is mesmerized by the culture, is a unwavering part of the western world. Just because Willard is portrayed by Coppola as a unconventional man and can slay Kurtz in accordance with savage customs, doesn't make him a savage. Eventhough Frazer is an Englishman, Coppola believes his observations of savages are precise, and so he chooses to create his born again savage god-king, Kurtz, accordingly.       Works Cited Frazer, James. The Golden Bough. 1922. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1951. Vickery, James B., The Literary Aspect of 'The Golden Bough'. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1973. Wittgenstein, Ludwig. Remarks on Frazer's 'Golden Bough'. Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey: Human Press, Inc., 1979.      

Current ideas about assessment in mathematics teaching

There are many methods of reflecting upon one ‘s ain work, but carried out critically and positively, all should take to an ability to better the quality of that work. The cardinal word here is â€Å" should † . Improvement will merely take topographic point if, following the contemplation, some stairss are identified and implemented to convey about betterment. It is the intent of this paper to help that contemplation and contemplation procedure. The rubric of the essay requires rating of my instruction. The word â€Å" evaluate † is taken to intend â€Å" to judge or find the significance, worth, or quality of † , as defined by Dictionary.com. The paper will measure, in a chronological order, the instruction I carried out over a two hebdomad period. In peculiar it will analyze the appraisal techniques that I employed at each phase, and will reexamine the effectivity of the appraisal. Where appropriate the paper will propose where things could hold been done better. As the rubric dictates, this paper is a contemplation upon learning that I carried out during my first arrangement, as portion of my PGCE class. As such, it refers in the most portion to personal experience and contemplations upon that experience. The paper will hence be written chiefly in the first individual, with mentions from other parties in the 3rd individual. Having considered the appraisal employed throughout the instruction, I will so see a figure of general findings, and how assessment may impact those findings.What Is Assessment and Why Is It ImportantAssessment is a portion of all of our lives from the minute we are born, as the accoucheuse places a babe on the graduated tables. It follows us through early childhood ( as female parents and wellness visitants assess what a babe can make at each phase in their development ) , into school and beyond into employment. The facet of appraisal with which this paper is concerned is the appraisal carried out within the mathematics schoolroom. The word â€Å" appraisal † is used to denote any witting activity intended to supply information about a student ‘s accomplishment or attainment. There are four chief types of appraisal, ( as defined by Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot, 2002, p19 ) Diagnostic – to place students ‘ current public presentation Formative – to help acquisition ( including equal and self appraisal ) Summational – for reappraisal, transportation and enfranchisement Appraising – to see how well instructors or establishments are executing. Of these, formative and summational appraisal will have the most focus, with consideration being given to the effects these types of appraisal have on students ‘ acquisition. Appraising appraisal is non considered within the range of this essay. Whether appraisal is good to a student ‘s acquisition or non depends on the usage to which the information gained is put. For illustration, wellness visitants may place a nutritionary demand of a immature kid which can be corrected with the appropriate input, and likewise instructors may place an educational demand of a student which they can take stairss to turn to. William ( in Weeden, Winter, Broadfoot, 2002, p29 ) suggests â€Å" all four maps of appraisal require that grounds of public presentation or attainment is elicited, is so interpreted, and as a consequence of that reading, some action is taken † . Weeden, Winter, Broadfoot ( 2002 ) besides conclude that appraisal becomes formative when the information gained is used by the instructor and student within the learning procedure. I would besides add that it requires the consequences of the appraisal to be acted upon within a short clip frame, while feedback is still relevant. Furthermore, â€Å" inventions that include beef uping the pattern of formative appraisal green goods important, and frequently significant, larning additions † . ( Black et al. 2003, p9 ) . The purpose, hence, is to guarantee that appraisal, of all types, is used formatively wherever possible.The Class That Was TaughtThe category that I taught was a Year 9 category of 20 students. Although they were classified as a lower-attaining category ( Set 3 out of 4 ) , the scope of abilities within the category and the particular demands of a few persons warrant some brief description. One male child had arrived late from Somalia and had a limited appreciation of English, but no other particular demands. Several of the students had low reading ages, typically in the age 8 – 9 scope, and were hence challenged by some word jobs. Additionally, one of these students had moved into mainstream categories at the start of twelvemonth 9, after two old ages supported by the school ‘s â€Å" nucleus programme † , and hence sometimes needed extra support as respects concentration. Four of the students in the category were on the school ‘s SEN registry as BESD, i.e. they had behavioral, emotional or societal troubles which without careful handling could take to disruption in lessons. One-half of the category entered twelvemonth 7 with a National Curriculum assessment degree of 3b or 3a, with the balance at low degree 4. By the terminal of twelvemonth 8 all were accessed at degree 4 or 5c. Several of the students moved up by merely one or two degree points during their first two old ages at Secondary school, bespeaking some cause for concern. The category was routinely supported by a Teaching Assistant, whose function was chiefly to back up the student with EAL, but besides to supply general support as required to other students.The Topic TaughtThe subject taught was Ratio and Proportion. The Scheme of Work indicated five hours of instruction, the equivalent of six 50 minute lessons, and I set about bring forthing a subject program consequently. The really first Standard which a trainee instructor must accomplish is to â€Å" hold high outlooks of kids and immature people † ( Training and Development Agency for Schools ( TDA ) , 2010 ) . With the benefit of hindsight, I can see that the word â€Å" high † in this criterion is a word that requires considerable understanding and single application to each student. At the clip, nevertheless, I took this to intend that I should anticipate all my pupils to be able to hold on the rudimentss of a given subject within a period of learning clip, determined by me, their instructor. â€Å" Low outlooks by instructors are regarded as a much bigger job than high outlooks. † ( Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot, 2002, p64 ) . Determined that my learning would non be portion of this â€Å" bigger job † , I set about my planning with high outlooks for all my students. This position was proven to be instead excessively simplistic during the instruction, but this will be elaborated upon subsequently. The subject of ratio and proportion, harmonizing to the strategy of work, is pre-dominantly a degree 5 – 6 subject, so would by necessity be disputing for most of the students. With a comparatively unfamiliar category I felt it was of import to get down by measuring how good the category would get by with some of the cardinal mathematical constructs which would be necessary for the subject. The first activity in the instruction, hence, was to re-cap fractions understanding. In peculiar, could the pupils cut down fractions to their simplest signifier, and could they happen fractions of measures? This was mostly a diagnostic appraisal, to set up a starting point for my instruction. Having established that all students had a sound appreciation of simplifying fractions, I introduced the construct of ratios and simplifying of ratios. This was followed by sharing a stated measure by a given ratio, and happening a missing measure given one measure and a ratio. The concluding instruction activity was to present the thought of proportion and to specify the difference between proportion and ratio. The subject was completed with a summational appraisal, and by self- and peer-assessment in the signifier of production of a posting. For the intents of this paper, I will concentrate chiefly on the start of the subject and the decision of the subject, and the appraisal strategies employed at these points. Some reference will be made of the interim instruction, peculiarly with mention to the effectivity or otherwise of appraisal carried out at this phase.The TeachingRe-cap FractionsMy determination to get down this subject with a re-cap of fractions was based on the similarities that I perceive between fractions and ratio. It hence seemed logical, before get downing on a new and potentially ambitious subject, to set up how much the category already knew about fractions. As claimed by Ausubel, ( in Clarke, 2005, p12 ) , â€Å" The most of import individual factor act uponing acquisition is what the scholar already knows. Determine this and learn him consequently. † Therefore, the intent of this lesson was diagnostic appraisal to be used to inform the instruction for the balance of the subject. Although diagnostic appraisal has been found to be uneffective if it is simply used for â€Å" puting † intents, it has had benefits if used to place the single acquisition demands of a student. ( Black et al. , 2003 ) . A starter activity ( of fiting braces of tantamount fractions ) indicated that the bulk of the category had an first-class appreciation of this construct. I established this by leting students to work in braces to fit the fractions, and so inquiring persons, or their spouses, for replies. I attempted to use a â€Å" no hands up † attack, as recommended by Lee ( 2006 ) , sometimes utilizing lollipop sticks to choose students to reply. â€Å" No hands up † was a new attack for the category, and many found it hard to defy seting custodies up or shouting out ( or both ) . I would hold with Lee ‘s averment that seting hands up can take to a competitory environment for some students. I would besides propose that it can take to disinterest from other students who see no demand to acquire involved. Having established that the students possessed an ability to simplify fractions, the following relevant facet of fractions was the ability to happen a fraction of a measure, e.g. A? of 36. Using mini white boards, I was able to set up that all students could work out simple measures. It was so of import to cognize the methods they had employed and to understand their idea procedures, and I used oppugning and synergistic treatment to set up students ‘ methods. As Morgan, Watson and Tikly ( 2004, p133 ) put it, â€Å" cognizing that they can bring forth the right solution is a instead dead-end piece of cognition for the instructor. It would be more helpful to happen out the restrictions of the manner they presently see the undertaking. Knowing how they see the procedure and what they say to themselves while making it, provides you with a get downing topographic point to learn them to work out more complicated jobs. † The popular method of happening A? was halving and halving once more, which led me to revise the inquiring by inquiring how to happen 1/5th of 30. This in bend led to treatment of division and generation, and through the discourse it became evident that many had troubles with times tabular arraies. As it was non my aim in this lesson to revise times tabular arraies, generation grids were made available to students who asked for them. More students asked for the grids than I had expected, which I believe was declarative of a general deficiency of assurance with mental maths. As a signifier of distinction this was effectual for those who needed the grids, but may besides hold led to others seeking an â€Å" easy option † . In the hereafter I would seek to administer such AIDSs to merely those I believed truly needed them. However, with the usage of the generation grids it was a straight-forward following measure to travel to non-unit fractions, and all students showed sensible ability to happen fractions of measures. I stated in the debut that the intent of this lesson was mostly to execute a diagnostic appraisal. As a consequence of the lesson I had gained a assurance in my students ‘ ability to manage fractions sufficiently good to come on to the following phase. I had non, nevertheless, asked my students to self-assess whether they felt the same. As a consequence, when, towards the terminal of the whole subject, I asked the students to self-assess how they felt about the assorted parts of the subject, I was surprised to detect that about all felt that they were unable to â€Å" make fractions † . It would look evident that although I believed my students had achieved the acquisition result, by the terminal of the subject they did non portion that belief. If I had instigated self-assessment during this lesson, the consequence may hold been different, but I will ne'er cognize for certain. I agree, with the suggestion of Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot ( 2002, p73 ) , that using effectu al signifiers of ego appraisal will do students â€Å" more responsible for and involved in their ain acquisition † . This is an country that I will necessitate to look to better as I move frontward into my following stage of instruction, as â€Å" it is far more valuable for pupils themselves to take part in the appraisal procedure than for instructors to be the exclusive proctors of advancement. † ( Morgan, Watson and Tikly, 2004, p134 ) . Even though the declared intent of the lesson was diagnostic appraisal, I made some effectual usage of formative appraisal during the lesson. For illustration, I used oppugning to place the students ‘ methods, and so adjusted my oppugning in response to their replies. While this was effectual, there was range for improved usage of oppugning, to examine deeper into their degree of apprehension.Ratio and ProportionThe chief instruction of ratio and proportion was spread over three lessons. Over that period we progressed from basic apprehension of the algorithms to application of the algorithms to â€Å" existent life † type jobs. As the work was spread over three lessons I was afforded the chance to reexamine the work in students ‘ books. Mindful of the research findings ( Black et al. ; Butler ; Clarke ; Thorndike ; in Stobart, 2006 ) , I restricted my marker to placing errors and doing remarks. The research of Thorndike, carried out about a hundred old ages ago, highlighted the comparative consequence of delegating classs to work, i.e. the assignment of classs taking to pupils comparing themselves against one another. This is supported by more recent research summarised by Clarke, ( 2005 ) , to boot doing a nexus to the importance of measuring attainment against the larning aims instead than against other students. My purpose in placing students ‘ errors was to be able to turn to mistakes and misconceptions in subsequent lessons. I was able to make this to some extent, but I do non hold the grounds of a follow-up appraisal to be able to corroborate whether this was wholly successful. The comment-only marker should hold been followed up by leting the pupils clip to reexamine the remarks, and re-work their replies in line with the remarks, as stressed by Black and William ( in Clarke, 2005 ) . I did non let sufficient clip for this to be done. It may besides hold been good at this phase if I had asked the students to notice for themselves on their work, as recommended by Clarke ( 2005 ) . She suggests this as a signifier of self appraisal, whereby the student, holding identified an country for betterment, would discourse the suggestion with the instructor. The in agreement betterment would so be made either in lesson clip or as a prep activity. In general, the planning of clip to let students to utilize the feedback they have received, and the subsequent appraisal of the effects, is an country of failing that I will necessitate to better if my feedback is to be genuinely formative. Another country of appraisal which I was trying to utilize during this instruction was effectual inquiring. I found a figure of troubles with effectual oppugning in this category, which may good be common across most categories. The first challenge was trying to guarantee all students were involved, without seting undue force per unit area on students who are non comfy replying inquiries in forepart of the whole category. The usage of mated activities helped in some instances, as students were able to give â€Å" squad † replies and support each other if required. Team- or pair-working is a method which I should look to widen in the hereafter, for usage with higher-order inquiries, and to promote the usage of more mathematical linguistic communication. The usage of â€Å" Study Buddies † has been shown to promote non merely mathematical talk and look, but besides peer-assessment and self-reflection ( Lee, 2006 ) . My efforts to guarantee all students were involved in replying inquiries led to some really awkward silences as I allowed the recommended ( Black et al. , 2003 ) wait-time. With one peculiarly quiet student whom I ne'er persuaded to reply a inquiry, the issue turned out to be merely one of being â€Å" afraid to acquire it incorrect † – this was a truly unfortunate state of affairs as it transpired from the terminal of topic trial that she had an first-class appreciation of the work. Not merely was her reserve making her a ill service, but the remainder of the category would besides hold benefited greatly from her part. In add-on, even if she had â€Å" got it incorrect † , this excessively would hold been of benefit. As Lee ( 2006, p26 – 27 ) states â€Å" a incorrect reply, possibly more than the â€Å" right † one, helps the instructor buttocks what further larning students need. †End of TopicAt the terminal of the subject I decided to tra nsport out two pieces of assessment – a summational trial and a brooding self-assessment. The summational trial besides included some points from the old subject I had taught this group. Its intent was to set up how good the students had remembered subjects they had been taught throughout the old six hebdomads. I was fortunate that this trial took topographic point at the start of â€Å" Christmas hebdomad † , when it was normal pattern in the school for lessons to be more relaxed. This allowed me clip to speak separately with each student, to discourse what they had done good and where they may hold had misinterpretations. I was concerned that the students were more interested in the grade they had achieved than in the feedback I was able to give them about their acquisition. Harmonizing to Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot, ( 2002, p115 ) this is non uncommon, as â€Å" the accent is ever on grade or class and seldom do students truly care about what they really achieved. † Although this was designed as a summational appraisal, I was besides able to utilize it formatively by placing a common job with algebra, and turn toing this in the last lesson of term, thereby utilizing â€Å" the wake of trials as an chance for formative work. † ( Black et al, 2003, p55 ) They besides conclude that â€Å" summational trials should beaˆÂ ¦ a positive portion of the acquisition procedure. † ( 2003, p56 ) The self-assessment took the signifier of the production of postings summarizing all they had learnt about Ratio and Proportion. The appraisal showed a assorted degree of apprehension, and ability to pass on that apprehension, within the category. One group showed an first-class apprehension and had clearly referred back to their books to guarantee that they included all the stuff right. The EAL pupil had trouble with this activity, so I encouraged him to be really ocular with his posting. Others had taken hapless notes during the instruction and struggled to remember the information – this, in itself, was a utile acquisition point for them, as they consider the quality and utility of what they write in their books. ( Two ( contrasting ) postings are included in Attachment A ) . Overall, this was an effectual drawing together of the subject, and enabled the students to self-assess their ain acquisition, as the production of postings â€Å" aˆÂ ¦ requires pupils to reflec t upon and organize their cognition in order to pass on it † ( Morgan, Watson and Tikly, 2004, p151 ) Although this self-assessment enabled students to reflect upon their acquisition, as it took topographic point at the terminal of the subject I was unable to supply an chance for students to set their contemplations into pattern. The appraisal can non hence be described as genuinely formative. An excess lesson would hold enabled the students to move upon their contemplations, thereby doing the assessment formative.General FindingsExcessively Much MaterialA repeating job with many of my lessons was trying to suit excessively much stuff into each lesson. This resulted in me travel rapidlying to â€Å" acquire through † the lesson. I therefore allowed deficient clip for examining and higher-order inquiries. This was to the hurt of my instruction and my students ‘ acquisition as â€Å" instruction is more than make fulling a kid with facts. It starts with presenting hard inquiries † ( Spendlove, 2009, p32 ) . I was losing chances, non merely to dispute and excite some of the students, but besides to measure the deepness of their apprehension and place misconceptions at an early phase.Communication and QuestioningMuch formative appraisal can be achieved by effectual communicating and oppugning. Black et al. , found effectual oppugning â€Å" aˆÂ ¦ led to richer discourse, in which the instructors evoked a wealth of information from which to judge the current apprehension of their pupils. † ( 2003, p41 ) However, many secondary school students appear to be fresh to constructive treatment in a lesson environment, and there are considerable challenges involved in altering this state of affairs, particularly if outlooks of communicating are non consistent across a school. Add to this the excess linguistic communication dimension of the â€Å" mathematics registry † as Lee ( 2006 ) calls it, and it goes some manner to explicating the trouble I had in promoting students to speak about their mathematics. While it may be disputing, the benefits of effectual communicating to pupils ‘ larning justify attempt being spent to better the quality of communicating in lessons, as â€Å" larning can non take topographic point in a vacuity and it is at its best when there is a rich bipartisan duologue between instructor and scholar and scholar and scholar. † ( Spendlove, 2004, p44 ) The countries of communicating in which students are encouraged to go involved include replying inquiries, and explicating their thoughts and methods. This can show farther troubles with the usage linguistic communication, peculiarly for students with EAL, who may happen themselves wholly excluded from the discourse. Another group of students who may hold a similar job are those for whom such communicating is unfamiliar outside school. â€Å" Children aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . from families where English is non the first linguistic communication may be disadvantaged by trust on unwritten interaction. † ( Morgan, Watson and Tikly, 2004, p150 ) The fact that all students are larning a new mathematical linguistic communication together could be seen as a leveler for the EAL pupils, as all pupils â€Å" aˆÂ ¦need to larn how to utilize mathematical linguistic communication to make, control and show their ain mathematical significances. † ( Pimm, in Lee, 2006, p18 ) . Much of the linguistic communication will necessitate to be learnt by both EAL and non-EAL students. As a instructor purpose on promoting the usage of mathematical discourse as portion of formative appraisal in my instruction, I will necessitate to run into these challenges creatively.ExpectationsAs mentioned earlier, I set unvarying â€Å" high outlooks † for all my students, but I had given deficient consideration to the comparative nature of the word â€Å" high † . Whilst I believe that I am right to anticipate all of my students to accomplish an apprehension of what they are being taught, how fast and to what degree are things that need to be separately agreed. This so leads to the ability of students to measure their ain advancement against agreed marks and aims. I found that one student in the category ne'er did any work in the lesson until his outlook for that lesson had been separately negotiated with him. He would so bring forth some first-class work, by and large transcending my outlooks. Ollerton, ( 2003 ) relates the importance of students disputing themselves against their ain marks, instead than viing against one another, and that in such a civilization, outlook can be high but accomplishable, holding been negotiated and agreed between student and instructor.Assessment Against LevelsA trouble which has permeated my first instruction pattern has been the definition of â€Å" degrees † at which students are working. There has been an accent placed upon students being cognizant of the degree at which they are working, and being able to measure for themselves how they are come oning against those degrees. There is a danger, nevertheless, that this can take to â€Å" clicking boxes † for each point required within the degree , without needfully developing the apprehension behind the capable stuff. This is similar to the issues raised by Skemp ( 1976 ) , sing the importance of Relational Understanding as opposed to Instrumental Understanding. It is certainly possible for a student to be assessed, both by themselves and their instructors, to be working at degree 5, for illustration, while missing the relational apprehension to use their accomplishments in other countries. I tested this concern with a Year 6 student, with current maths degree ( instructor and trial ) assessed as degree 4a/5c. Without any learning about the topic of ratios ( other than a definition of the word ratio ) , this student was able to use bing mathematical cognition and apprehension to right work out ratio and proportion inquiries graded at degree 6. My twelvemonth 9 students on the other manus, while theoretically working at the same degree, and after several lessons on the topic, were unable or unwilling to utilize their accomplishments to undertake jobs which differed from 1s they had seen antecedently. ( I say unwilling, as I suspect some of their reserve was due to a deficiency of assurance in their ability to undertake more ambitious inquiries. ) So, while both the twelvemonth 6 student and the twelvemonth 9 students are assessed as working at the same degree, my belief is that the twelvemonth 6 student shows a far greater relational apprehension, while the twelvemonth 9 students show about merely instrumental apprehension. This is supported by findings which indicate â€Å" learning how to go through trials means that pupils may be able to go through even when they do non hold the accomplishments and understanding which the trial is intended to mensurate † ( Gordon and Reese in Harlen, 2006, p79 ) . The two groups come from different backgrounds and different acquisition experiences, so it is non possible to pull any decisions, other than to state that the assignment of degrees would look to give small information sing mathematical apprehension and attainment. It is possible that the twelvemonth 6 student has been encouraged to transport out more self find of mathematical constructs, an activity in which the twelvemonth 9 group were loath to prosecute. It concerns me that students are encouraged to mensurate their accomplishment by being able to click boxes instead than understand and use their mathematics. This leads to the consideration of students ‘ motive – what they want to acquire from their instruction.Motivation to LearnA uninterrupted challenge in all lessons has been promoting students to desire to larn. Pupils frequently ask the inquiry, â€Å" Why do I need to cognize this? â€Å" , and I confess to sometimes happening this a hard inquiry to reply. One of the primary countries I would seek to better in my instruction is my ability to actuate my students to larn, but first I must understand motive. There are two chief types of motive which encourage students to be in lessons ( as defined by Harlen, 2006 ) – extrinsic, where they are motivated by an external end such as deriving a making, and intrinsic, where they are motivated by the end of larning itself. â€Å" Intrinsic motive is seen as the ideal, since it is more likely to take to a desire to go on larning, than larning motivated extrinsically. † ( Harlen, 2006, p62 ) , and â€Å" intrinsic motive is associated with degrees of battle in larning that lead to conceptual apprehension and higher degree believing accomplishments † ( Kellaghan et al. , in Harlen, 2006, p63 ) . So, possibly I could hold used appraisal more efficaciously to increase the intrinsic motive of my students. The work of Harlen, ( 2006 ) identifies possible negative effects of appraisal on student motive, which mostly relate to summative appraisal and judgmental feedback. She besides goes on to depict patterns that maintain motive degrees, including affecting students in self-assessment ( Schunk ) , and the usage of feedback from regular classwork. None of this, nevertheless, leads to a decision that appraisal can assist increase intrinsic motive. Further factors need to be considered in finding whether this is the instance. There is surely grounds that formative appraisal can raise achievement degrees, as identified by Black et Al ( 2003 ) , but I do non believe that is needfully the same as raising intrinsic motive. Increased intrinsic motive is most likely to originate from bring forthing a echt involvement in what is being learnt, and hence lead to a desire to go on that larning throughout life. As Clarke ( 2005 ) claims, affecting pupils in their ain acquisition procedure has had the proved consequence of making life-long, independent scholars. Harlen ( 2006 ) describes two types of involvement – single involvement and situational involvement. Students with single involvement in mathematics will persist more and are likely to accomplish good. Sadly, nevertheless, non all students will hold single involvement. Either signifier of involvement will promote students to be involved in acquisition, so the instructor must try to make situational involvement, for illustration, through games. Having encouraged the students ‘ engagement through situational involvement, non merely will they get down to larn, but they may besides develop single involvement. One of the keys to making situational involvement is guaranting the students know what they are larning and why, and so supplying formative feedback to the student. Hence the importance of formative feedback in making involvement, taking to intrinsic motive. â€Å" no curricular inspection and repair, no instructional invention, no alteration in school administration, no toughening of criterions, no rethinking of instructor preparation or compensation will win if pupils do non come to school interested in, and committed to, larning. † ( Steinberg, in Weeden, Winter, Broadfoot, 2002, p9 ) It appears, hence, to be of critical importance that instructors use formative techniques to increase the intrinsic motive of their students to larn. At the same clip, they should avoid actions which will cut down their intrinsic motive.DecisionsThere have been several surveies over the old ages sing the impact of appraisal on students ‘ acquisition, notably the work of Black and William, at the abetment of the Assessment Reform Group. These surveies have concluded that for appraisal to raise the criterions of students ‘ attainment it must be used formatively. ( Black et al. , 2003 ) Reflecting upon my ain instruction and my students ‘ acquisition, I must admit that there are many ways in which my pattern can be improved. These include usage of higher-order inquiries, leting for self-discovery of mathematical constructs and leting clip for students to move upon feedback. It is still a duty of the instructor to fix students for external scrutinies, and to describe advancement to interested parties. As such it is necessary to strike a balance between the usage of formative appraisal to back up acquisition, and summational appraisal for coverage intents, but besides to fix students for taking external scrutinies. However, â€Å" There is ample grounds that the alterations involved ( in bettering formative appraisal ) will raise the tonss of their pupils on normal, conventional trials. † ( Black et al. , 2003, p2 ) The expression goes, â€Å" the hog does n't acquire fatter merely by being weighed † . Harmonizing to Weeden, Winter, Broadfoot, 2002, p36, Formative Assessment could be an exclusion to this regulation. In this peculiar instance, repeated and ongoing appraisal could really assist to better the quality of acquisition, if the information gleaned from the appraisal is used to do it go on.